VP-5 Squadron Shipmates
http://www.vpnavy.org
VPNAVY Address

ShipmateVU-7 ShipmatesShipmate

AKIN, Louis L. Shipmate Pix ai@akininc.com "...VU-7 1962-65 NAS North Island, San Diego, California. I hope all my Shipmates are well and happy and would like to hear from any of you..." [PIX Added 02AUG2005 | 31JUL2005]


BACH, John johnbach1@verizon.net "...I was in VU-7 NAS North Island, San Diego, California 1951-1953 as Plane Captain/aircrewman in a JD-1 Douglas Invader, nose no. 5. My pilot was Lt. Seaborg and we flew all around the San Diego area towing targets for Navy ship gunnery practice, El Centro, Ca, Fallon, Nev. on TAD towing targets for Navy fighters and PB4Y-2 privateers. We had TBF Avengers, an R5C. SNB, and F8F Bearcats in the squadron. I have many great memories of flying low with Lt. Seaborg through the alfalfa fields in El Centro and the sagebrush at Fallon. Does anyone out there know of a squadron patch for VU-7?..." [E-Mail Updated 21NOV2005 | 23APR2001]

Memorial Picture "...BLUM, James Orville Jr. "Joe"...4/21/1935 - 6/3/2009 - Born in Saxon, SC to Florence & James Blum. Joe earned the rank of Eagle Scout, with Silver Palms. He joined the US Navy in 1953, and had a 20 year career in naval aviation which would take him all over the Pacific. He proudly served with VU-5 at NAS Atsugi, Japan from 1955 to 1959, VU-7 at NAS North Island, San Diego, California and Brown Field in 1954, VP-4 at NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii at NAF Naha, Okinawa, Japan from 1962 to 1963, VP-30 at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland) and retired out of VP-50 at NAS Moffett Field, California in 1973. He later worked at Ford Aerospace and the Kennedy Space Center in spacecraft electrical engineering. Joe's wife Dorothy preceded him in death just a few months ago. He leaves behind two children, John Blum (Diane) of San Jose, CA, and Nancy Wilson (Neil) of Lafayette, CA; three step-children, Stephanie Zimmerman (Dean) of Titusville, FL, Wendy Taylor (Bobby) of Duncan, SC, and Dwane Church (Kim) of Moore, SC; 15 grandchildren; and a sister, Barbara Medlock of SC..." Contributed by ANDRUSZKEWICZ, Steve "Andy" sgpa2zfmly@aol.com [14JUL2009]

BLUM, Joe joeblum@excite.com "...I served in VU-5( NAS Atsugi, Japan) during the period 1955-1959. I also served in VU-7 ( NAS North Island, San Diego, California and Brown Field) (1954), VP-4 (Okinawa and NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii), VP-30 ( NAS Patuxent River, Maryland) and retired out of VP-50 ( NAS Moffett Field, California) in 1973..." [08MAY2002]

BRUNING, Harvey harveybruning@mybluelight.com "...I ended my 4 year tour in the Navy as a radioman with VU-7 flying in the A26 type of airplane which the Navy called a VD-1. We flew out of Brown Field in California near the Mexican border, mostly towing targets..." [13MAY2003]


Memorial Picture "...CARLBERG, ARM3 Robert N. "Bob"...My father, Robert (Bob) Carlberg, passed away August 13, 2007 Fredonia, PA. Dad served with VU-7 (and the Navy) from 1943-1947. Dad played trumpet as part of a dance/jazz/swing band in his outfit. I would like to hear from his former Shipmates..." Contributed by Bob Carlberg bob@liberty.edu [21JAN2016]


DALY, Paul "Fred" freddaly1@gmail.com "...I served with VU-7 at NAS North Island, San Diego, California and NAS Brown Field from 1954 to 1956. We worked on JD1's, F9F5's, etc. Would like to make contact with any of my old buddies. Prather, Geer, anyone still out there?..." [E-Mail Updated 02SEP2009 | 17OCT2003]


Memorial Picture "...EVANS, AMM1 Horace O. "Hank"...Sorry to note Dad's passing on October 25, 2005. Dad served with VP-54 and a number of other squadrons (VP-43, VP-200, VU-7, FAW-14, FAW-8, Airborre Early Warning Squadron PW-2 and VU-2) in the Solomon Island area (Bougainville) as an AMM1 during WWII. I would be interested in corresponding with anyone who has addiitonal information about the squadron's activities in the area. TC Bill Evans wevans80@comcast.net..." [26NOV2009]

EVANS, H. O. c/o his son LTC Bill Evans wevans80@comcast.net "...My Dad, H.O. Evans, served as a member of PBY squadrons during WWII in the SOuth Pacific, specifically with VP-43, VP-54, VP-200, VU-7, HEDRON FAW 14, HEDRON FAW 8, HEDRON PW2, and VU-2. Crashed in the Ellice Islands on Sept 5, 1944, rescued by the crew of the USS Renshaw. Now lives in Michigan..." [02NOV98]


FRIDENMAKER, AMHC Dennis J. "DJ" Retired DJLF@ALLTEL.NET "...I served with VFAW-3 from 1961 to 1963, VU-7 from 1963 to 1964, VW-13 from 1964 to 1965, VW-4 from 1965 to 1967, NAS Glynco, Georgia from 1967 to 1970, VP-6 from 1971-1975, NATTC Memphis, Tennessee from 1975 to 1978, and VP-11 from 1979-1980..." [E-Mail Updated 08SEP2002 | 03MAY2002]


GIBSON, AM2 Sam L. lee1try@fbtc.net "...Looking for fellow Shipmates from VU-3K (1954 - 1955), VU-5 (1953 - 1954 ), and VU-7 (1951 - 1953). Details: VU-3K, ALF Reem Field, San Ysidro, CA.; 1954 - 1955 VU-5, NAS Agana, Guam; 1953 - 1954 VU-7, San Diego area from 1951 - 1953: NAS Miramar; ALF Reem Field, San Ysidro, CA.; NAS North Island, San Diego, California..." [22JUL2001]


HOWELLS, Joseph axisc2@aol.com "...I served with VU-7 on Coronado Island and NAS Miramar. I was TAD to the dispensary til I went to Hospital Corps School. There were several of us. We served in 1964..." [02NOV2002]


JACKSON, AE2 Eddie oldinjin@frontier.com "...I served with VU-7 (1957-1960) at NAAS Brown Field, CA..." [22JAN2012]


LANE, ATN3 David L. auroralane@comcast.net "...I served with VU-7 (1958-1959) at NAAS Brown Field, California and then NAS North Island, San Diego, California. We flew the the Douglas JD-1 Invader towing targets or in pairs of Douglas JD-1 Invader's working with ships radar crews. Two of my close friends were Gary Bedell of New Hampshire and Ralph Bowden of Louisiana. I have lived in New Mexico since leaving the service in August 1959. That was some of the best years of my life..." [E-Mail Updated 07JAN2012 | 20FEB2009]

LEIPER, AM2 Larry clock62221@hotmail.com "...I served with VU-7 (02/1958-10/1959) at NAAS Brown Field (AKA Tijuana Field), Chula Vista, CA..." [14FEB2012]

LINDSETH, AT Dan dandl@3rivers.net "...I served with VU-7 (01/1956-09/1957). Great electronics shop, kept the radio/radar equipment running in the JD's and the F5F's. Flew almost every day pulling targets, great memories for a 19 year old kid. The time has been good to me. Had a great run and now back home in Montana..." [18JUL2015]

LOCKHART, Kay M. c/o Adam Lockhart aka@usfamily.net "...I served with VU-7 at NAS Miramar, California and VU-5 at NAS Atsugi, Japan between 1950 - 1952. I would like to hear from former Shipmates..." [28SEP2014]


PILCHER, LCDR Howard G. Retired hgpilcher@pcola.gulf.net "...My first contact with the P2V was when I was assigned to the Advanced training Command as a NAVCAD at NAS Hutchinson, Kansas. I arrived just as they were phasing the PB4Y2 out of the Navigation phase of advanced training. I was one of the first NAVCADS chosen to solo the P2V as a student pilot. I am not sure how many were chosen but I think it was just a few since it was sort of an experiment. We were flying the P2V-2, P2V-3 and I think they had a P2V-4 (I am not real sure about that). My next encounter was with VP-9 at NAS Alameda, California from Nov 1955-Dec 1958. Nine had just returned from deployment to NAS Kodiak, Alaska (They lost a P2V5-F that was shot down by MIGS) and had just transitioned into the new P2V-7's. I made two deployments with VP-9, one to NAS Iwakuni, Japan and one to NAS Kodiak, Alaska. Then I was assigned to ATU-501 (1959-1962) at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. I started flying the SNB (bug smasher) but soon the squadron changed from ATU-501 to VT-31 and the P2V's were reactivated along with the P5M Marlins. They had P2V-5F and P2V-6's. My next assignment was with VU-7 1962-1965 at NAS North Island, San Diego, California flying the JD-1 and was soon transitioned into the US2C (modified to drag a rag). Later the squadron split and the jet portion moved to NAS Miramar and the rest of us went to VU-3 where we kept flying the US2C and also the Drone equipped P2V5-F. Finally I was assaigned to VP-7 from 1967-1969 as Ops. Officer. We were supposed to transition to P-3's after our return from NAS Sigonella, Sicily but it turned out that the XO from VP-23 had done his homework and convinced the powers that be to transition them instead of VP-7. I do not remember if I ever flew the P2V-4 at Hutch or not but if I did, I think I have flown all models of the P2. I tried to verify this but I have misplaced my early years log book. I have been in contact with some of the names that I recognize in the web site and I am most anxious to hear from any of my Shipmates that can recall being the same places that I have..." [20SEP2000]


RICE, LCDR Charles O. Retired Chazeroo@cox.net "...I served with VP-42 as AOAN thru AO2 from May 1952 to June 1956, one deployment to NAS Kodiak, Alaska, and two to NS Sangley Point, Philippines. Served in Crew 1 and 2. PPC's were Cdr Azab and LT Pauls. Fellow crewmen were ATAN Pete Everett, AE1 Franklin T. Cook, ATC Hart, AD2 Joy, AD1 C. I. Johnson, and others whose names escape me. I served with VU-7 as AO1 from April 1964 to April 1965, when squadron was broken up and I went to VU-3. I was a tow target aircrewman and aircrew traing petty officer. After VU-3 I served aboard the Hornet, Ticonderoga, and Forrestal (two tours), tours at NAS Oceana, NAS Keflavik, Iceland. Retired in November 1982 as LCDR (LDO). Would appreciate hearing from anyone from this period..." [BIO Updated 14APR2006 | E-Mail Updated 13AUG2002 | 23FEB2001]

RIESENBERG, Jim jriesenberg@wi.rr.com "...I completed ADJ "A" School and reported to VU-7 at NAS North Island, San Diego, California from November 1961 to February 1965. Eckhart and I ran the Technical Library with Chief Zepkowski. Master Chief Brown was Senior EM and LT(jg) May was the OIC..." [21AUG2010]

ROBERTS, AD3 Donald R. donaldreeseroberts@yahoo.com "...I served with VU-7 (01/1955-08/1955) at NAAS Brown Field, CA. I would like to hear from former Shipmates..." [19APR2016]


SMITH, Donald eugsmi66@gmail.com "...I served with VS-892 (1960–1962) at S NAS Sand Point, Seattle, Washington, AEWBarRonPac (1962–1963) at NAS Midway Island and VU-7 (1963–1964) at NAS North Island, San Diego, California. I would like to hear from former Shipmates..." [BIO Updated 10JUN2020 | 29MAY2020]

STEWART, AE3 Ronald T. marqprint@aol.com "...I served with VU-7 (1961) from A School. Worked on JD-1 line and went to F8U Electrical School. F lew as Aircrewman in JD-1 & RC45J. Was on drill team and football team and went TDY to Crew Pool teaching Survival Swimming and Lifeguard at Crew Pool, Officers Pool and Beach. Left Navy and joined Army as Medic and retired in 1995..." [06JAN2016]


WALLACE, AT3 Donald A. Shipmate Pix cdad800@comcast.net "...I served with VU-5 (1953-1954) at Guam and Itazuki, Japan and VU-7 at NAS North Island, San Diego, California (which was moved to Brown Field outside of Chulavista in California). Also 3-4 week temperary detachment NAS Cubi Point, Philippines. Looking for VU-5 patch "We Drag The Rag". Looking for Buddy George Connors or any other Shipmates..." [18MAR2013]

WOOD, ADJ Robert C. wood43y@yahoo.com "...I served with VU-7 (1961-02/1964). I worked on the F8 Flight Line, Engine Shop and did some work on the B26's. I would like to hear from former Shipmates..." [27AUG2012]


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